Silliness, Scars, & Stretchmarks

We spent some time with Amanda and out came some cuteness we'd never seen before!

Watch this...

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

The silliness in action!

Amanda is my come-over-when-I'm-in-my-PJs-with-no-makeup-on-and-my-house-is-a- ROYAL-wreck-and-I-have-a-fussy/sick-baby-friend.

She loves me (and Jude) just the way I am.

I love her for that.

I call it showing each other your scars and stretchmarks.

She is a breath of fresh air. I don't even suck in my baby belly or my hips when she's around. Oh wait, you can't suck in hips...but even if I could, I wouldn't around her. :0)

Thankfully, she's not my only friend like this...God's given me plenty.

But still, she is pretty special!

We love you Amanda!

P.s. Here are some other friends we love that have come over lately... :0)

Lindsee Lou and her Special Friend Rico

Jude & Miss Emily

Miss Bekah & Jude


Thank you Lord for sweet friends!!!

Marred in His Hands

Bethan wrote a very piercing post about ___________________

So, it's on the table. We suffer from disbelief. Now, what? I seem to be REALLY good at diagnosing the problem and ordering the prescription. But I seem to always forget to go by the pharmacy and pick it up.
But really, what do we do with this information? Our lives are ever so compartmentalized. We're already in so deep.
God has begun breaking things down for me. He's giving me examples of people who live ministry outside AND inside of their homes...opening their doors to broken people and letting them inside their haven/ safe place. This is more than just getting your hands dirty...and then going inside to wash them clean. It's getting them dirty and leaving them that way-- immersing yourself in ministry. But how do I do it? ...how do I break the cycle in MY life?
I've quoted this friend before...

"Our desire to minister to others

is directly related to

how we are letting Jesus minister to us."

So true. There is great feast on the table, yet I go hungry. Apparently comfort and the favor of man are enough for me. At least that's how I act. I trade His nearness for a little bag of silver daily.
This isn't about learning how to share my faith. It's about knowing Him deeply and letting Him marr me into a vessel of beauty.

"And the vessel that He made of clay was marred in the hand of the Potter; so He made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the Potter to make"

Jeremiah 18:4

Keeping silent is really about protecting myself...from foolishness, misunderstanding, and loneliness. It's easy to be paralyzed by awkwardness, insecurity, and judgement. It's hard to tell people that Jesus is our only Hope, our only way to the Father, the only Good we'll ever know, the only God who lives.

And I don't know the answer to my pride. Or really, I can't seem to surrender to the Answer to my pride. But slowly, slowly He's marring and restoring. As I glean from His goodness, He's making me new. He's turning familiarity into awe. Slowly, slowly.

This One's for You

Let me introduce you to our friends John & Joanna.
They're quite a cute couple...well, most of the time.

This picture is CLASSIC.
First of all, John is happy as can be...posing pretty for the picture, not a care in the world.
Joanna, however, has just realized the situation...hence the "oh my gosh, you better not spit up on my bridesmaids dress" look on her face.
So fun, look what's to come!
We love you Joanna & John!